ES2244269B1 - PERFECTED UNIVERSAL BOARD. - Google Patents

Abstract

Universal board perfected. It is adapted for the transmission of the rotation movement of two orientable axes in different directions provided with a fork at each end, one of which extends in a sliding block with an area of smaller section that extends longitudinally in another of greater section provided with holes for the passage with the possibility of sliding of rods connected by one end to a supportive area of the other fork of the other axis, being connected at the other end to a stop plate. Said support zone, said sliding block and the stop plate with the respective rods form an axial displacement device to absorb external solicitations. The holes of the section of greater section may include low friction elastic bushings for the controlled passage through them of the rods.

Description

Universal board perfected.

The present invention patent application consists, as indicated in its statement, in a "Universal Board Improved ", whose new construction features, conformation, and design fulfill the objective for which specifically it has been projected, with a safety and effectiveness maximum.

The invention belongs to the technical sector of the automobile and more specifically to the steering mechanism of vehicles.

The torque transmission exercised by the driver in the steering wheel in its turn is transmitted to the steering column by universal joint means adapted to transmit a movement of rotation of two axes arranged in relative directions different in order to allow angular displacement between one and another axis. Such devices are typically used for transmit the rotation movement to the wheels when they are engines and guidelines at the same time, as well as in the columns of address of the cars where it is not possible to transmit the movement by a longitudinal tree of a single piece by the particular geometry of the interior of the vehicle where they must be mounted and operate the different mechanical elements involved in the address set.

There are many solutions in the art intended for the transmission of a rotation movement of two axes with orientation capability in different directions. A end of said axes is conventionally provided with a first fork which has holes for accommodate the ends of the arms of a crosshead. This crosshead joins each other in an articulated manner the aforementioned first fork with the ends of a second fork.

A particularly effective solution is that raised the present holder in his patent application for invention ES2.169.676, in which a universal joint is described with a particular design that has currently provided a Great efficiency in operation. This design is based on the fact that cited second axle forks are mechanically joined each other by an axial displacement device designed adequately to absorb the effects of an external impact that could lead to interference in the operation of the system mechanical and even breakage or breakdown of serious consequences. In a specific application for address columns of automobiles, the axial displacement device of said patent, which was mounted interspersed in the universal joint of the steering column of the vehicle, allowed to advantageously avoid the transmission of movements from the rack to the column direction of the car thus isolating the column from the set of address. In addition, this particular configuration also allowed modify the spacing of the axle forks to facilitate the assembly of them thanks to the established game among them.

The holder of the present invention has found  a new universal joint configuration that is based on general lines, in the board described above but with a significant improvement in terms of simplification of the whole. It has been found that the universal joint of patent ES2.169.676 could simplify considerably by adopting a new configuration Without losing efficiency. In patent ES2.169.676, the device for axial displacement basically comprised three support plates: a first supporting support plate of the second fork of one of the axes, an intermediate support plate and a second support plate The first support plate was equipped preferably of three guide and clamping rods fixed, by one of its ends, to the first support plate and, on the other from its ends, to the second support plate. Intermediate plate it had through holes adapted for passage through of them from the aforementioned rods and also incorporated a column solidarity to it on one end and solidarity, on the other end, to the second fork of the other axis.

Although it was a very effective mechanism, it has found that the design described implies a high number of pieces which negatively influences the final price of set.

Thanks to the present invention, this is the number of elements involved in the configuration of the board universal can be advantageously simplified by maintaining the same efficiency in damping and compensation of movements in the steering system, and particularly in the transmission of these from the zipper to the steering column of the car isolating the column from the steering assembly. The board of the invention also allows to modify the separation of axle forks for easy mounting on the vehicle thus reducing installation costs.

The invention therefore proposes a new universal joint intended for the transmission of the movement of rotation of two orientable axes in different directions the which include a fork at its ends. Universal joint described in accordance with the invention comprises respective extreme forks articulated to those mentioned adjustable axle forks mentioned above.

The improvement presented by the invention in the simplification of the universal joint assembly is that a of the aforementioned extreme forks extends in a block of sliding forming a piece with it. This block of sliding has an area of smaller section that extends longitudinally in an area of greater section. This area of greatest section of the sliding block has holes through interiors where guide rods run. These rods are joined by one of their ends to an area of support that is integral with the other opposite fork. For him opposite end, said rods are attached to a plate of stop, top, maximum as a noun, top as an adverb. With this configuration, the said sliding block can move axially with respect to the rods being defined an axial displacement device that can absorb external impacts effectively offsetting them with a very number reduced parts A universal joint is thus provided with a intermediate axial displacement device defining a compact and very rigid system since the pieces of relative displacement, that is, the sliding block and the support area, are part of the forks themselves.

The axial displacement device works so that when there is an external solicitation to the car, for example an impact, said device reacts by compensating this effort to move the aforementioned block of longitudinally sliding with respect to the solidarity rods of the zone of opposite fork support. Displacement device axial therefore allows a certain relative movement between forks that effectively compensates for any external movement to the vehicle transmission system but allowing, at the same time, a good transmission of parity its rigidity torsional

The behavior of the set in the aforementioned load absorption function in the collapse can be improved incorporating elastic traction means that tend to maintain the separation between the forks of the respective shafts before a outside force

In one embodiment, said device of axial displacement comprises three rods that, as has been indicated above, they are in solidarity, by one of their extremes, of the stop plate passing through the section of greater section of the sliding block and being fixed at the other end to the cited fork support area.

The invention also provides for the provision of low friction elastic bushings inside the holes in the section with the largest section of the sliding block. These low friction bushings have the mission of allowing the controlled passage through them of the aforementioned rods. With this achieves a torque transmission without slack and with very low sliding effort. If these caps are not available elastic interior surface finish can be applied to the through holes in the area with the largest section of the block sliding to allow the adjusted passage of those mentioned rods These rods can be solid bars or they can be be hollow inside to reduce the weight of the whole.

According to the invention, the support zone protruding from one of the forks, the sliding block coming out of the other fork and / or the stop plate may present a cylindrical or substantially polygonal profile (triangular, triangular with rounded vertices, square, etc.) or Any other suitable profile. Similarly, the number of rods of the axial displacement device can be larger That three.

It is also expected that the device axial displacement includes a flexible protective element that cover in order to insulate the mechanical elements from dust, the dirt and other external agents that may influence the dynamic behavior of the board. This protective element can be, by way of example, a rubber tube that surrounds the device and which, in turn, allows the movement of the elements in a way adequate.

The characteristics and advantages of the board universal object of the present invention will be clearer in the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof. Bliss description will be given, from now on, by way of example no limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in the which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the universal joint of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view in exploded view of the universal joint of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal view in elevation of the universal joint of figure 1; Y

Figure 4 is a longitudinal view in elevation of the universal joint sectioned by plane AA 'of the figure nº 3.

The elements that appear in the figures that are Attached are the following:

(s) separation relative between the support area (16) and the sliding block (17). (TO) area of largest block section of displacement; (B) minor zone block section of displacement; (one) first fork of one of the axes; arms of the first fork; (3) accommodation of the first fork; (4) first fork of the other axis; (5) arms of the first fork of the another axis; (6) accommodation of the first other axle fork; (7) holes of shaft forks; (8) holes of the forks of the other axis;

(9) ends of the arms of the fork crosshead axis; (10) ends of the arms of the crosshead of the other axis forks; (eleven, 12) crossheads of Forks; (13) second fork axis; (14) second fork of the other axis; (fifteen) displacement device axial; (16) fork support area (13); (17) scroll block of the opposite fork (14); (18) plate stop, top, maximum as a noun, top as an adverb; (19, 20, 21) guide rods and subjection; (22, 23, 24) holes of the stop plate; (25, 26, 27) holes of the larger diameter area of the sliding block; Y (28)  \ begin {minipage} [t] {130mm} low friction elastic bushings of the intermediate plate for the step of the guide columns and clamping. \ end {minipage}

The universal joint illustrated in the figures and described below by way of example no limiting according to the invention comprises a first fork (1) adapted to accommodate a first axle, for example the driving axle of the steering column of a vehicle, whose axle It has not been illustrated in the drawings for reasons of clarity. He end of said driving shaft is housed in said first fork (1) in a housing (3) conveniently adapted for it.

At the opposite end of the set is arranged similarly another fork (4) that similarly houses a second axis, or driven axis, which has not been illustrated in the drawings for reasons of clarity. The end of said axis driven is similarly housed in a said fork (4) in an accommodation (6) also adapted for this.

The forks (1, 4) of the column shafts steering extend in corresponding arms (2, 5) provided with holes (7, 8) where the ends (9, 10) of the arms of respective crossarms (11, 12). These crossheads (11, 12) jointly join the aforementioned forks (1, 4) with the forks (13, 14) of the respective axes of the steering column of the vehicle.

The fork (14) is extended in a block of cylindrical slide (17) that has two different zones diameter: a first zone (B) of smaller diameter that extends longitudinally in an area of greater diameter (A). This area of larger diameter (A) of the sliding block (17) is provided of three holes (25, 26, 27) inside of which they can longitudinally slide respective guide rods (19, 20, twenty-one). One of the ends of said guide rods (19, 20, 21) are attached to a support zone (16) that is integral with the other opposite fork (13). The other end of said guide rods (19, 20, 21) is attached to a circular stop plate (18) through of respective holes (22, 23, 24).

The support area (16) of the fork (13) with its rods (19, 20, 21) attached to said stop plate (18), together with the sliding block (17), they define a device axial displacement (15) intended to compensate for the effects of an external impact on the vehicle steering system said block (17) moving varying the relative separation (s) between said support area (16) and said block of sliding (17) which has been represented in figures 1, 3 and 4. The mobility of the axial displacement device (15) and consequently of the forks (1, 4, 13, 14) facilitates enormously the assembly of the axles. Typical values of magnitude of the relative separation (s) that define the effective play of a steering column of a car are of the order of 30-40 mm approximately, although the separation (S) can present any value depending on the requirements mechanical of the joint and of the application to which it will be destined, being able to reach values of 100 mm in some cases, or even more.

The fastening of the rod ends (19, 20 21) can be, for example, by threading (or by any other suitable means), provided for that purpose, on the plate stop (18), said holes (22, 23, 24) for coupling of the rods (19, 20 21), as can be seen in the figure nº 2 of the drawings. The rods (19, 20, 21) can be bars solid or hollow to reduce the weight of the whole.

Although it has not been illustrated in the figures, it can provide a flexible protective element that covers the device axial displacement (15) in order to isolate the elements moving mechanics of dust, dirt and other agents outside On the other hand, means could also be provided compression spring-shaped elastics to maintain the relative separation (s) between the support area (16) and the block of sliding (17) before collapsing efforts, absorbing them from an effective way since the movement experienced by the block of sliding (17) with respect to the rods (19, 20, 21) can then be controlled in an appropriate manner.

The sliding of the guide columns and clamping (19, 20, 21) through the area of greatest diameter (A) of the sliding block (17) is made by means of bushings low friction elastics (28) housed in through holes (25, 26, 27) of the area of greatest diameter (A) of said block of sliding (17). Alternatively, said through holes (25, 26, 27) of the sliding block (17) may have a Interior surface finish suitable to allow passage adjusted of the three rods (19, 20, 21) and thus get a torque transmission without clearance avoiding the use of such low friction bushings (28).

Although the elements (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21) defining the axial displacement device (15) of the joint universal object of the present invention have been illustrated, in the embodiment described here, presenting a configuration substantially cylindrical, it is evident that these can present other technically appropriate geometries, such as a profile triangular rounded vertices, or any other geometry. Of the  same way, the materials of the elements that make up the board universal described in accordance with the invention, as well as the dimensions and other features may be conveniently replaced by technically equivalent ones, as long as do not depart from the essentiality of the present invention or the inventive concept thereof defined in the claims that  They are included below.

Claims (7)

1. Improved Universal Joint for the transmission of the rotation movement of two orientable axes in different directions each provided at one of its ends of respective forks (1, 4), said universal joint comprising other forks (13, 14) coupled articulated to the aforementioned forks (1, 4) of the axles, characterized in that one of the aforementioned forks (14) of one of the axes is extended in a sliding block (17) which has an area of smaller section (B) which it extends longitudinally in an area of greater section (A), said area of greater section (A) being provided with holes (25, 26, 27) adapted for the passage with the possibility of sliding of some rods (19, 20, 21 ) which are connected by one of its ends to a support area (16) integral with the other fork (13) of the other axis, and said rods (19, 20, 21) being joined by the other of its ends to a stop plate (18) forming said area of so bearing (16), said sliding block (17) and said stop plate (18) with the respective rods (19, 20, 21) an axial displacement device (15) intended to absorb external solicitations, defining the relative separation (s) between the support zone (16) and said sliding block (17) the displacement between the forks (1, 4) of the respective axes before said external solicitations. 2. Improved Universal Joint according to the 1st claim, characterized in that three rods (19, 20, 21) formed through the interior of the area of greater section (A) of said slide block (17) of the fork (14) solidarity of said stop plate (18) by one of its ends and being fixed by the other of its ends to the support area (16) of the other fork (13). 3. Improved Universal Joint according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said rods (19, 20, 21) are hollow inside. 4. Improved Universal Joint according to the 1st claim, characterized in that the holes (25, 26, 27) of the section of greater section (A) of the sliding block (17) have respective low friction elastic bushings (28) to allow controlled passage through them of the rods (19, 20, 21). 5. Improved Universal Joint according to the 1st claim, characterized in that said through holes (25, 26, 27) of the sliding block (17) have an inner surface finish to allow the adjusted passage of said rods (19, 20, twenty-one). 6. Improved Universal Joint according to the 1st claim, characterized in that at least some of the support area (16), the sliding block (17) and the stop plate (18) have a cylindrical profile. 7. Improved Universal Joint according to the 1st claim, characterized in that at least some of the support area (16), the sliding block (17) and the stop plate (18) have a substantially polygonal profile.